(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to machines for salvaging waste concrete material such as for example that contained in a ready mix concrete truck and unused at a job site.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Prior machines for this purpose have been proposed and one such machine is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,942,731. An aggregate separating machine is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,378 and a gravel separator, a foundry sand reclaiming device and an ore washing apparatus are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,836,299, 2,331,135 and 2,599,402, respectively. Each of these patented devices incorporate a classifying drum into which material can be delivered. Each of the machines attempts separation and classification of the materials introduced and one of them, that of U.S. Pat. No. 2,942,731 attempts a washing action with respect to the concrete present in the concrete mix introduced into the machine. None of the disclosures include a practical means of receiving a batch of mixed unset concrete from a ready mix truck and then delivering it at a predetermined rate and volume which can be controlled by the operator as necessary with respect to the condition of the concrete being handled. None of the machines of the patents disclose a settling tank for settling out and recovering the fines, such as fine sands and the like, which constitute a substantial portion of the mixed concrete and none of the machines teach a practical and efficient apparatus for handling, washing and separating all of the material in wet concrete as highly desirable in considering the environmental impact of the dumping of such wet concrete indiscriminately as frequently takes place at the present time.